Cook-Out Milkshakes

For what seems like ages, a subsection of Earth's population has been clamoring for the fast-food chain Cook Out to branch out beyond its native North Carolina. And in the past few years, it finally has! There's a Cook Out in my hometown of Hampton, VA and multiple locations in my second home, Richmond. Where else can you get a combo meal that lets you choose your two side items from a list that includes a bacon wrap, a corn dog, a quesadilla and more? Not only that but you can get a good barbecue sandwich there--that's minced pork barbecue for you non-Southerners--and Cheerwine for your beverage...

...or, for a small fee, you can upgrade your drink to one of Cook Out's forty milkshake options! Barbecue, a corn dog, a quesadilla AND a milkshake all in one inexpensive combo meal? Yes, it's true!


Here's the rundown on my favorite have-to-use-a-spoon milkshakes at Cook Out, having tried more varieties than I care to admit:

1.) Cherry Cobbler / Peach Cobbler (tie) - Don't make me choose between these two; they are equally tasty. Real fruit + Nilla Wafers for cobbler bits = a textured flavor sensation.

2.)Chocolate Chip Cheesecake / Strawberry Cheesecake (tie) - Again, it really is a matter of mood. Following a similar formula to the cobbler milkshakes, this flavor swaps the Nilla wafers for bits of cheesecake, which changes the overall flavor of the ice cream base for the better. The chocolate chips are actually flakes that add some bite to every spoonful.

3.)Blueberry - Again, real fruit is the star of the show here, blended with perfection into the ice cream base. I have memories of getting this flavor driving north on 95 back when Cook Out was only in North Carolina.

4.) Peanut Butter Fudge - This one folds bits of chocolate fudge topping into a peanut butter base creating an ooey-gooey flavor that is sure to please.

The Dairy Godmother in Alexandria, VA

Oyster ice cream? Don't worry, you won't find that at the Dairy Godmother. But at nearby Mount Vernon, one learns that oyster ice cream was a popular savory flavor during George Washington's time, ice cream having been introduced to the U.S. by Thomas Jefferson. But suppose you're in northern Virginia and have a sweet--not savory--cold treat in mind?

The Dairy Godmother is a frozen custard spot in Alexandria that makes custard in the classic Wisconsin style. (They even sell Sprecher's Root Beer, a Milwaukee classic.) Chocolate and vanilla are always available, along with a specialty flavor that changes every two days. When I went, the third option was the even-better-than-I-ever-hoped Sopapilla. Honey cinnamon meets Mexican vanilla in this flavor, which is topped with crunchy-yet-chewy bits of fried dough. In short, this silky smooth spoonful of sweetness had my tastebuds doing the happy dance more than any frozen custard has outside of Wisconsin. And, believe me, I've tasted tons of the stuff over the years. I even went back for seconds.

Filling out the menu are frozen custard sandwiches (featuring a wide variety of custard flavors, including chocolate-hazelnut), inventive sorbets (pineapple cilantro), creative popsicles (mango lime), daily treats (peach cobbler), and shockingly inexpensive baked goods. My family agreed that everything available sounded and looked worth trying...and everything we had was wonderful.

So, if you find yourself near Alexandria, make the effort--take a lengthy detour if you have to--and visit the Dairy Godmother. As a bonus, you can even sit in the chair Obama sat in when he visited in 2009.